Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, Morro Strand State Beach is a state park. The nearest town is Morro Bay, about 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away (Morro Strand State Beach lies NW of town).
Morro Strand State Beach (formerly Atascadero State Beach) is a protected beach within California's state park system located in north Morro Bay along California State Route 1. Morro Strand is a popular coastal frontage park on Estero Bay featuring the Morro Strand Trail and picnic sites. A three-mile stretch of beach connects the southern and northern entrances to the beach. Dogs are prohibited in part due to the nesting and protection of the Western Snowy Plover. Fishing, surfing, beach walking, and jogging are popular activities.From the Wikipedia article “Morro Strand State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Morro Strand State Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:55 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 47m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Morro Strand State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 4:11 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:59 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:24 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 81 | 78 | 84 | 95 | 98 | 105 | 106 | 105 | 109 | 100 | 89 | 78 |
| Low °F | 25 | 29 | 32 | 34 | 40 | 43 | 50 | 49 | 47 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.6 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Morro Strand State Beach, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
State Park
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Morro Strand State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Morro Strand State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Morro Strand State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Morro Strand State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Morro Strand State Beach?
How far is Morro Strand State Beach from Morro Bay?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.